Star Trek: The Next Generation: ‘Remember Me’
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: ‘In The Pale Moonlight’
Star Trek: Voyager: ‘Latent Image’
Best Comedy Star Trek Episode: ‘Message In A Bottle’ (VOY)
The Simpsons The one where Homer goes on hunger strike to protest the baseball team moving to Albuquerque.
Red Dwarf: Quarantine
Firefly “Ariel”. Near the end of the ep, there’s a powerful moment that shows the dedication Mal has for his crew.
Buffy “Once more, with feeling”
Farscape “Crackers don’t matter”
Babylon 5 “Sleeping in Light”
MASH “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen”
An oldie for sure:
From The Jack Benny Show. Jack has gone to see a shrink, because everywhere he goes he keeps seeing the same guy (played by Frank Nelson, he of the infamous "Ye-e-e-e-e-e-s-s-s? ‘catch-phrase’). Of course, this was a clip show, so there follows a series of Jack’s encounters with Frank, ending with a bunch of rapid fire ‘y-e-e-e-s-s-s?’ bits. Jack asks the Shrink if he’s going crazy, and the shrink assures him that it’s just a series of strange coincidences, and they head out to the reception area. Just as they’re coming into reception, the door to the shrink’s partner opens, and out he comes with his patient - Frank Nelson! Frank takes one look at Jack and yells at his shrink “There! You see! There he is! There he is!”
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Seinfeld’s “The Contest”.
My favorite Friends is the one with the trivia contest.
I have three nominations, for moments that had me rolling at the time and still crack me up today:
Jimmy: The original title of this book was Jimmy James, Capitalist Lion Tamer but I see now that it’s… Jimmy James, Macho Business Donkey Wrestler… you know what it is… I had the book translated into Japanese then back again into English. Macho Business Donkey Wrestler, well, there you go, it’s got kind of a ring to it, don’t it? Anyway, I wanted to read from Chapter Three, which is the story of my first rise to financial prominence: “I had a small house of brokerage on Wall Street… many days no business come to my hut… my hut… but Jimmy has fear? A thousand times, no! I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey strong bowels were girded with strength like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo… dung. …Glorious sunset of my heart was fading. Soon the super karate monkey death car would park in my space. But Jimmy has fancy plans… and pants to match. The monkey clown horrible karate round and yummy like cute small baby chick would beat the donkey.”
Taking questions from the sparse audience:
Question: Mr. James, what did you mean when you wrote “bad clown making like super American car racers, I would make them sweat, War War”?
Jimmy: Well, you know, it’s LIKE when a clown is making like a car, racer, it’s sorta, like, the FCC. The CLOWN, the clown is like the FCC, and I was opposed to the FCC at the time, right? So it was like I was declaring War. WARRRR!
Question: So then did the “American yum yum clown monkey” also represent the FCC?
Jimmy: Yeah, it did. Thanks a LOT!
Question: What did you mean when you said, “Feel my skills, donkey donkey donkey donkey donkey”?
Jimmy: Sigh
2. Late Night with David Letterman, back in the NBC days. Dave had a guest on who’d brought in exotic poultry and he had some really interesting looking birds. Dave, natch, kept making wisecracks and being a general smartass. At one point, the guest pointed to the Rhode Island Red, a really huge and gorgeous rooster. “Shove him,” the guy said to Letterman, while nudging the bird with the back of his hand. “Just give him a shove, shove him.”
Letterman reached forward and pulled his hand back sharply. “He pecked me!”
Guest: “See, he doesn’t like to be shoved.”
See Post #30. 
Well, as much as I’d like to Pit anyone who put Buffy or Angel as having the top television episodes ever (I detest both shows, and find them not only mindless, but also boring!), I’ll just add my own:
ER “Hell and High Water”
Once and Again Finale
The Mad About You episode where Paul and Jamie reach the breaking point.
128 posts before I was mocked! So, in the spirit of eye for an eye, mock for a mock, and in an attempt to get this thread back on track a little - it was supposed to be 1 episode, with a detailed description of why 
Although I agree with several of the classic episodes already mentioned, I’ll nominate an hour of Lou Grant in which the concept of journalistic ethics was explored. Idealistic {i]Los Angeles Tribune* reporter Joe Rossi rails against such conflicts of interest as a business writer covering the fortunes of a company in which she’s invested a sizable sum. One of his colleagues observes (paraphrasing here): “So, by your logic, I shouldn’t be able to cover a PTA meeting because I have kids.” Rossi responds: “No, you shouldn’t. I belong to no clubs, no organizations. I’m beholden to nobody.”
I don’t really remember the rest of the plot, but the final scene is the payoff. Rossi arrives to find a stack of mail in his office and begins reading off the return addresses with a moxture of bemusement and anger: “Young Socialist Alliance! Sierra Club! Mustang Owners of America!” Turns out that the gang at the paper has pooled efforts and signed Joe up for a plethora of organizations. Animal (the featured staff photographer, a hippie-type) gleefully pulls out a thick envelope and exclaims: “Shaun Cassidy Fan Club! This one’s a lifetime membership!” A look of resigned disgust is evident on Rossi’s face as the closing freeze frame/fadeout ensues.
For those who’d like to relive memories of the show or learn more about it, here is an episode guide to the series. I remember catching the reference to a cartoonist named Diefenbaker in episode #64. The controversial man was modeled on Garry Trudeau, whose surname was also that of Canada’s recently deposed (and about to be reinstated) Prime Minister. John Diefenbaker had served in that post from 1957 to 1963.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Ben Vereen plays Will’s father and asks him to spend the summer riding with him on the big rigs. Uncle Phil says no, and Will tells him the classic “You can’t tell me what to do. You’re not my father.” Aftet Phil has been there for him the past four years, giving him everything he needed “from a pat on the back to a kick in the pants,” as Phil puts it. When Will’s father cancels the deal, Phil is there to comfort Will.
The other one is when Will is under stress and buys some uppers. He tells Carlton they are vitamins and Carlton downs a bunch before the Big Dance. After he does an incredible dance routine, Carlton passes out and is rushed to the hospital for a drug overdose. Will tells Uncle Phil they were his pills, and Phil makes him tell the whole family.
Both shows featured powerful scenes with James Avery (Uncle Phil) and Will Smith. It’s interesting to see Will hold his own in a scene with James, who is a very accomplished actor. A glimpse of a really good actor.
And of course every episode where Aunt Vi’s sisters visit “DEEEEEEEEEE-va.”
Comedy
Winner
The episode when Sam and Diane broke up for good and they end up grabbing each other’s noses. It was hilarious and poignant all at the same time.
Runners-up
The Frasier episode that starts out with Niles ironing his pants. Hilarity ensues.
I agree that the “Just Shoot Me” Donnie episode was a classic.
The Frasier episode where the brothers open up a restaurant. The chef quits in a snit and they all have to pitch in and cook and Daphne kills an electric eel by slamming it onto the table.
Drama
Winner
Buffy’s “I Only Have Eyes for You” (Buffy and Angelus re-live a teacher/student love affair) is definitely in the Top 10. It was soooo romantic yet bittersweet.
Runners Up
Charlie and Kirsten’s wedding on “Party of Five” was poignant and heart-breaking.
Then there was the episode of “thirtysomething” when Gary died. It was so unexpected and I just sat there in shock like I was hit with a 2x4.
The episode of The Sopranos when Dr. Malfi is raped. So compelling.
The episode of “Angel” where they go to the ballet and Angel and Cordy are inhabited by spirits of star-crossed lovers.
I don’t think these have been mentioned yet but they were truly excellent episodes.
My first nomination is the election show, “Democracy in America” from “Northern Exposure.” In it Cicely, Alaska was divided by a close mayoral race where the critical issue was a stop sign. Incumbent Holling said to his lovely and amorous girlfriend, “Shelly, pull yourself together. I can’t think about sex with a bar full of registered voters!” There was a rancourous candidates’ debate, the highlight of which was this exchange, which took place after several nit-picky question and answers:
Large, burly, thick-bearded, flannel-wearing townsman, after rising ponderously to his feet: “I was wondering if the candidates saw the stop sign as a Jeffersonian or Hamiltonian expression of democracy in action?”
Moderator (Ruth-Anne): What kind of stupid question is that? SIT!
After the election, which Holling lost because people just wanted a change, Chris the DJ said, “Ed, we just witnessed a peaceful transition in government. Do you realize how miraculous that is?..Today, tiny Cicely, Alaska, stood up and put another W in the win category for democracy.”
Meanwhile, Maurice commiserated with Holling by saying “87% turnout. What’s happening to us? Why didn’t they stay home!?
My second nomination is from “Murphy Brown”, the show called “Send in the Clowns”, which was a brilliant parody of the Clarence Thomas congressional hearings. I don’t remember the quote exactly, but Murphy’s house painter Eldin said that he saw the hearings on TV when he was at Sears, and that he was so outraged that he went to the yard section of the store to get a bag of fertilizer, which he brought back and laid in front of the TV in the electronics’ section. Said Eldin, “I thought it was a powerful political statement. Sears disagreed. I’m no longer welcome where America shops.”
My nomination for best episode ever though is Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s epic conclusion to its second season, entitled “Becoming (Parts I and II).”
“Duet”, “In the Pale Moonlight”, and “Far Beyond the Stars” from Deep Space Nine and “Tapestry”, “Darmok”, “Thine Own Self” and “The Inner Light” from The Next Generation
I do not care for BtVS’ “Once More with Feeling” at all. It has to be one of the most overrated episodes I’ve ever seen. It’s not bad but I don’t think it’s a tenth of the show it’s made out to be either.
A couple of episodes of “Sports Night” come to mind:
“Eli’s Coming” – Dan, whose misinterpretation of the old Three Dog Night song provides the episode’s title, is dealing with way too much shit on the romance front. His co-anchor for the evening is a woman who keeps insisting that they slept together once, although he denies it. Also, he discovers that the woman he’s been putting the moves on isn’t QUITE as over her husband as he had previously thought. Casey and Dana have been sniping at each other all night. And no one can figure out where the hell Isaac is. It all comes to a stunning end when Casey tracks Dana down, and Dana gathers all of her steam to go one more round with him … but Casey isn’t there to fight. Casey, wearing a very shell-shocked expression, is merely delivering the news of Isaac’s stroke.
“Cliff Gardner” – Sam the heartless ratings guy, who had been hired by Isaac, has been making life miserable for everyone at the station. Seemingly all of the staffers are considering jumping ship. And THEN the suits from the network want to drop by to make some “helpful” suggestions (and see if Sam wants Isaac’s job). But Sam not only turns down the job offer, but escorts the suits out of the building – all the while delivering a delightful speech about the early days of television – and threatens to ruin their lives if they try and pull any more of that shit again. What makes the episode really work is that Sam is not revealed to be a white knight. Everybody doesn’t instantly love him; he still grates on them to no end. And he didn’t get rid of the suits to be nice or to garner brownie points; he did it to get them out of his way so he could do the job he was hired to do. He’s just a mercenary with an unusual sense of loyalty.
I could mention other episodes of this show, which died far before its time. Like at least one other person I’ve seen on this board, I have steadfastly refused to watch any episodes of “The West Wing” because this is the show I wish Sorkin had stayed with.
You have no clue what you’re depriving yourself of, then. I loved Sports Night more than I’ve loved any show before it - but the Aaron Sorkin seasons of West Wing blow it out of the water. IMHO, of course 
Almost any episode of MAS*H in which Colonel Flagg appears, but especially the one where Flagg shows up in the middle of a poker game in the Swamp and gets sucked into it.
“Up close you’re a guy!” “Far away too.”
“You know who you got here Henry? Your famous Whiplash Wang.”
Being HBO, this might not count, but Band of Brothers episode 7 blew me away. It covered such a broad scope of emotions, never devolving into sappiness. And the cinematography was perfect.
Two things particularly stood out to me. The first-person view from that incompetent lieutenant during Easy Company’s charge across the field showed how chaotic a battle is from a commander’s perspective and also illustrated the need for decisive leaders. That was probably the best use of the blurred/shaky style of filming that I’ve ever seen.
The other thing was (were?) the German artillery barrages. Shockingly beautiful. I loved the subtlely different way they were filmed in response to people’s different reactions to them. They crashed into the trees like fireworks when one man voiced over that they reminded him of a Fourth of July celebration. Then when another man lost his leg, they pounded the ground like the apocalypse. Incredible film making, better than most movies IMO.
Everyone nominates the sappy episodes of Futurama but I think the best episode is also one of the funniest: “The Problem with Poplars.”
The crew accidentally discover really tasty things that look like chicken nuggets sitting in piles on a planet. They take them back to Earth and get in cahoots with a fast food franchise selling them, only to discover that they are, in fact, baby aliens, and the planet they got them from is a nursery planet.
It’s funny on so many levels, but the best part is that the aliens who invade Earth in revenge are 100% justified in being mad and their suggestion of eating one human for every alien baby eaten is actually rather reasonable!
Choice quotes:
Professor: “Get off my property!”
Hippie: “You can’t own property, man!”
Professor: “I can! But that’s because I’m not a peniless hippy!”
Leela: “I hope you’ll always think of me as your mum.”
Alien baby: “On my planet, we eat our mothers!”
Leela: “You’re vegetarians! Who cares what you do?”
Is this the episode where they sing “You can’t fight city hall”? That is a family favorite - my dad sings it all the time.
While I love Jose Chung (“One of them was pretending to be a woman, but he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. The hair was red, but it was too red, you know?”), I can’t believe no one has nominated my favorite X-Files episode, War of the Coprophages. It has everything! An entomologist named Bambi (Scully: “Her name is Bambi?”), a mad scientist, evil robot cockroaches, and more Planet of the Apes references than you can shake a stick at. Brilliant!
Simpsons: A Streetcar Named Marge. Best. Musical. EVER! And the subplot with Maggie at the Ayn Rand Daycare is great too.
Buffy: The Body.
West Wing: In Excelsis Deo and Noel. The first nearly had me in tears, the second nearly gave me a panic attack along with Josh.
Sopranos: Too many! I’ll pick two: Boca, which gave us the great lines “Pass the red peppers” and “golf and cunnilingus brought us to this!” Employee of the Month, which I have no intention of ever seeing again.
Seinfeld: The episode where they drive to Michigan to recycle their soda cans, and Elaine is stalked by Jerry’s mechanic, whom she fends off with JFK’s golf clubs. (Mr. Peterman: “I had no idea Kennedy had such a temper!”) Genius.